1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fishing lure and method of manufacturing of the same. In particular, the present invention relates to a fishing lure having elongated arms extending from the body of the fishing lure for attachment of spinning elements.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Fishing lures with blades and other spinning elements attached are common in the art. These types of lures come in all different shapes, sizes, and configurations. Many such configurations disclose fishing lures with a hook extending from the tail-end of the body of the lure and a shank extending from the nose of the fishing lure with one or more spinning elements attached to the shank.
It is less common in the art to find fishing lures with spinning elements attached to arms extending from the sides of the body of the lure. However, such lures exist in the art. Examples of these types of lures include the following: U.S. Registration No. 1,923,840 and U.S. Registration No. 2,125,030 to Ozburn; U.S. Registration No. 3,996,688 to Hardwicke; U.S. Registration No. 4,884,358 to Grove; U.S. Registration No. 5,930,941 to Hayes; and U.S. Registration No. Des. 418,898 to Luckey.
The Ozburn patents disclose a lure with a body shaped like an insect, frog, or the like. A crossbar with eyelets at each end passes through the body of the lure such that the eyelets extend from each side of the body of the lure. A swinging lever with arms forming a W shape is mounted to the lure such that the arms pass through the eyelets on either side of the body of the lure. The arms extend backwards with swiveling blades attached to the arm's ends.
One embodiment of the Hardwicke patent reveals an angled wire that extends from the top of the lure with the swiveling blade attached at its distal end. The wire is imbedded in the body, which has a skirt attached to a sleeve that slips over the nose of the lure.
The Grove patent reveals a trio of spinners attached to wires extending from the body of the lure creating the appearance of a school of fish. One spinner is attached to an angled wire, which extends from the nose of the lure. Two other equal and opposite spinners are attached to wires that extend perpendicularly from the sides of the body at an upward angle.
The Hayes patent reveals a jig type lure. The lure body has deflectable arms, which extend from the sides of the lure body. The arms are stainless steel wire sufficiently stiff so they do not deflect when pulled through water, but also sufficiently flexible when engaged by the mouth of a fish. The wire ends are encapsulated within the lure body.
The Luckey design patent discloses a lure body with wires that extend from the sides of the lure body in a perpendicular manner. Additional wires are attached to each of the perpendicular wires at one end and swiveling blades are attached at the other end.
A patent to Miles, U.S. Registration No. 4,133,135, discloses a lure containing a body, skirt, a main wire extending from the nose of the body, two additional wires attached to the main wire at one end, and swiveling blades attached to the main wire at the other end.
A patent to Gentry, U.S. Registration No. 4,901,470, discloses a lure body having a skirt and bill that extends from the nose of the lure body. A cable wire with an attached spinner blade extends into the lure body through the head of the wire and an opening in the bill. The end of the cable wire is imbedded in the lure body. The cable wire is surrounded by a spring, which is partially imbedded in the lure body.
The present invention is different than the prior art. First, the prior art patents reveal rigid arms. The present invention describes both rigid and flexible wire arms and the advantages of the flexibility. Second, the wire arms of the prior art patents are imbedded within the lure body when the body of the lure is formed. In the present invention, the wire arms are attached by inserting them into tubular sleeves extending from the lure body. The lure body is formed first and the wire arms are attached afterwards. This invention is an improvement over prior art lures because it allows for the attachment of arms to the lure after the lure body has been formed and thereby allows for the selection of arms with different lengths and rigidity.
This invention also allows for a more efficient method of manufacture because the wire arms are inserted after the lure bodies are formed. The wire arms do not take up space in the mold forming piece during the forming process. Thus, more lure bodies can be formed with one mold forming piece.